Refraction
by Emmychao
Summary: WelkinxAlicia. At the war's end, Alicia and Welkin still have obstacles in their relationship to overcome. The biggest of those obstacles is intimacy with one another...
1. Pass 01

"Refraction"

_Refraction n: the bending of a ray when it passes slantwise from medium into another in which its speed is different._

Chapter 01

_Side A_

It has been about a month since the end of the second Europan War. Ever since the decisive battle against Maximillian and the explosion of the Empire's mammoth the Marmota, life has once again become peaceful. Reconstruction has begun not only in my country Gallia but also in the Empire, our former enemy's country. Despite the heavy destruction in both of our countries, reconstruction has been moving along smoothly, and the people's shock has worn off. As for what became of Welkin and me after that…

The sun overhead beat down upon me as I stood outside in my small yard. I sighed as I continued to hang the damp, if not slightly heavy, laundry to dry on the short, taut clothesline. It has not only been a month since the war's end but also since that fateful day that Welkin had proposed to me. Or at least that's what I thought it was. Welkin hasn't really said anything about our relationship ever since then. Once I had finished hanging up the final shirt in the basket, I yawned and stretched tiredly. It wasn't even halfway through the day and I was already exhausted. Glancing at the clock, I realized that it was almost time for lunch and that Welkin would be stopping back home for a moment to eat soon. I hurriedly picked the basket up from the grass, set it down by the back door, and propelled myself into the kitchen. I grabbed my apron off of the hook and put it on while rushing to fetch some pans.

Pushing back all of my prior thoughts, I set to work putting the dough I had made this morning into the oven to bake. I sat down at the small table thoughtfully, the feeling of fatigue starting to set in. Thoughts of our "engagement" continued to plague my mind, though. I'd wanted to talk to Welkin about it before, but he was always at the university, studying at home, or observing the wildlife in the surrounding area. It almost felt like he didn't have any spare time to spend with me anymore. I stared at my left hand forlornly; it was devoid of a ring to mark our engagement. A dejected sigh left my lips at the thought.

We may live in the same house at the moment, but it felt like we were worlds apart. Our house was small and modest; we were only going to live here in the capital Randgriz for a while because Welkin still needed to complete his studies at the university. The national certification exam that I needed to take to become a baker was here in Randgriz as well. As much as Welkin and I wanted to return to our hometown of Bruhl, we knew that our obligations here had to come first. Time flew by as I thought about our circumstances, and before I knew it, it was already time to take the bread out of the oven. I hastily put on my oven mitts and carefully pulled the pans of bread out. Another quick look at the clock told me that Welkin would be home any moment.

This was my chance! I could voice my concerns to him and end this awkward chapter in our relationship. The unease I felt would be fixed, and I could stop being depressed. Everything would be – The sound of the door opening and closing interrupted my erratic train of thought, and Welkin's cheerful voice rang through our small home.

"Alicia, I'm back!" Welkin poked his head into the kitchen and visibly brightened. "Oh! You made some bread."

I snapped up to face him and instantly felt the courage drain out of my being. I couldn't bring myself to bring _that_ up now. "Y-yeah, some nice, fresh bread… D-do you want some coffee to go with it?"

"Hmm, some coffee would be nice, I guess…" Welkin hung his bag on the chair and pulled it out to sit. He gave me a grateful smile and waited patiently for me to brew the coffee. I instinctively smiled back and fished around the cabinet for the coffee grounds. I checked where I would normally put it but didn't see it anywhere.

"Huh?" I checked the shelf space and scrutinized the countertops. "Did we run out?"

Welkin shook his head and continued to smile. "It's okay; I'll just eat and then head back for my afternoon classes."

I frowned at him. "I'll just go out and get some really quick, okay?" Before he could answer or protest, I shrugged off my apron, grabbed my purse, and was out the door.

The venture into town was boring and uneventful. The damage to Randgriz wasn't extensive, so most of the reconstruction in the capital was nearly complete. I didn't make any unnecessary stops to browse, but I did get some other things while I was out. I hurried back home once I had obtained the coffee grounds and a few other items we needed, but I was stopped short by a few of the neighborhood's wives at the corner. I almost snapped at them for delaying me, but I politely held my tongue. They might've had something important to tell me.

"My, my, Alicia... Where are you going in such a hurry?" one of the more elderly women asked me. Another one nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, it's not like you have a husband to tend to…"

"Oh yes! Speaking of which, you should meet my son; I'm sure he would make a fine husband for you." The other women began to join in the conversation, talking about what "good" matches their sons or brothers were for me.

I felt my eyebrow twitch with irritation at their words. "Excuse me, but I'm actually already engaged…"

"What? Really?" the first woman questioned skeptically. The group of women closed in around me, all asking to see my ring. I shook my head impatiently.

"Yes, I really am. Now, if you'll excuse me…" But before I could sneak past the women, however, one of them gripped my shoulder.

"Now, now. If you don't want to meet my son, you don't need to make up excuses like that."

"Huh?" I turned back to the woman incredulously. "I'm not lying."

"Then where's your ring? A taken woman shouldn't be running around without a ring. It's improper."

I felt my face heat up with shame at her words. It wasn't my fault I didn't have a ring anymore. My original ring was a lion's paw flower that Welkin had fashioned into a ring. The flames of the Marmota, however, had scorched it. I had been upset, but I was more glad that the love of my life and I had made it out of the mess alive. I diverted my gaze and hesitantly answered, "I don't have one right now…"

I tightened my grip on my bag and practically ran the rest of the distance home before the women could comment further. As soon as I shut the door behind me, hot tears blurred my vision. I angrily wiped them away and walked into the kitchen to put away the groceries. Welkin was already gone.

I spent the rest of the day tidying up the house absentmindedly and preparing dinner. I couldn't deny that I was feeling depressed because of my earlier conversation. I habitually checked the clock every couple of minutes, restless and unable to wait for Welkin's return. After the food finished cooking and the table was set, I sat in front of the window, anxious for Welkin to walk through the door. He was unusually late that night. I could feel the loneliness eating away at me as the minutes passed.

When Welkin finally did walk through the door, I practically threw myself at him, overjoyed at the sight of him. Almost immediately, he wrapped his arms around me in return. In his arms, all of my problems disappeared; everything that had been worrying me today just seemed to disappear. I couldn't remember how long it had been since he last held me like this. I breathed in his scent happily, and noted that he was soaked with sweat. I let out a cough.

"W-were you running or something? You're all sweaty!" I hesitantly pulled away from him and ran to get him a damp cloth. I caught sight of his smile before I left the room.

"Yeah, something like that…" Welkin answered enigmatically. He followed after me and accepted the cool cloth graciously. "Thanks."

I couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something from me…

* * *

_Side B_

It has been close to a month since the fated conclusion of EW II. I lost my best friend Faldio after the final battle with Maximillian upon the Marmota, and I was barely able to escape in time with Alicia. It was thanks to Leon flying Isara's plane that we were able to make it out alive. In the time that has passed since then, I've gotten a small, temporary house in Randgriz with Alicia. We both figured that it would be easier to stay in Randgriz to take care of our individual obligations.

It had been over half a year since I had last attended class, but the subject matter was still fresh in my mind. I sat in class, fascinated by the professor's lecture about how the effects of war can affect ecosystems. Apparently, he thought that it was crucial that he go over it again because of the major war we had just ended. I wasn't about to complain about the interesting lectures, though. Once the professor dismissed us from class, I gathered my things and headed home. I had classes in the afternoon, but I still had enough time to go home, see Alicia, and grab a quick bite to eat.

The walk between the university and home was peaceful. Because the temperature had been dropping lately, less and less people lingered outside. When I approached my house, I saw that smoke rose from the chimney; Alicia must've been baking again. I felt a smile come to my face at the thought of her happily baking. I opened the door, and the smell of freshly baked bread hit me.

"Alicia, I'm back!" I called out to her. I followed the heavenly smell to the kitchen where Alicia most likely was. At the sight of her bread, I felt even happier. "Oh! You made some bread."

Alicia's face snapped up to meet mine suddenly. "Y-yeah, some nice, fresh bread… D-do you want some coffee to go with it?"

"Hmm, some coffee would be nice, I guess…" I walked over to the table, hung my bag, and took a seat. A gracious smile broke onto my face at her consideration and she seemed to smile back. I didn't really care if I had coffee, though. Just seeing Alicia's bustling form as she prepared it would be enough for me. We hadn't been seeing nearly enough of each other lately, so I savored the few moments we spent together.

Alicia seemed to sweep all through the cabinets and stared at the countertops. I raised an eyebrow at her behavior. "Huh? Did we run out?"

Seeing what was coming next, I shook my head at her. "It's okay; I'll just eat and then head back for my afternoon classes."

She frowned at me, much to my displeasure, and said, "I'll just go out and get some really quick, okay?"

Before I could protest or stop her, she was already out the door. I let out a sigh and turned back to the bread that she left behind. A "moink" behind me alerted me to Hans's presence; it was his lunchtime, too.

"Hey, Hans... What's up?" He pointed his nose at the bread on the table and gave a huffy "moioink" in response. I chuckled at the porcavian and offered him some of Alicia's bread. He happily took the offering. I followed his lead and began to eat Alicia's bread as well. Once I had eaten all of the bread that I could handle, I glanced at the clock and frowned. It was time for me to head back.

I gathered my things and headed out the door. I intended to go around the corner, but snippets of the conversation at hand there stopped me short. I didn't know why, but I felt the need to hide. I took cover behind the nearby bushes and listened in.

"If you don't want to meet my son, you don't need to make up excuses like that."

"Huh? I'm not lying." Wait… that was Alicia's voice…

"Then where's your ring? A taken woman shouldn't be running around without a ring. It's improper."

There was moment of silence before Alicia answered again. "I don't have one right now…"

I felt a pang of guilt in my heart at the tone of her voice. I could hear her quick footsteps pass by me and disappear into our house. Once I was sure the coast was clear, I left the bushes and headed toward the university. Partway there, however, I stopped. I felt that there was a more important task at hand. I changed direction and headed to the jeweler's shop. Without realizing it, I broke into a run.

I burst into the store and was surprised at the face I saw there.

"Hey boss! What brings you here?"

"L-Largo?!" I stepped back and did a double-take. What was Largo of all people doing here?

"Boss… Don't look at me like that. You're makin' me blush." Largo scratched at his chin for a moment before gripping my head in a powerful headlock. "Naw, jus' kiddin'."

"A-ah… Really…" I unhooked his arm and walked up to the display. I saw him move to follow me out of the corner of my eye. He appeared to be browsing the rings as well.

"Gettin' a ring for the missus, boss?" I felt my face heat up at Largo's words, but I nodded. He was right, after all.

"What about you, Largo?" I asked in return. Largo's face also seemed to take on a pinkish tint at the question.

"Gettin' a ring for Elle. By the way, boss… Don't you think it's a bit late to be getting the missus a ring? But, I guess it's better to do it late than not at all."

"Yeah… I can't believe I didn't notice for so long. Alicia must be mad at me for making her wait."

"I think she'd be happy jus' ta get one from you now. Don't sweat the details, boss."

After much deliberation, we were both able to find suitable rings. Largo's advice while we browsed had really made me think, though.

"Ya got that, boss? Ya gotta be more romantic with her," Largo had told me before we parted ways. I nodded reluctantly before tightening my hold on the small box. I took one look up the dark sky and realized that Alicia would be waiting for me at home.

I made sure the box was securely placed in my pocket before running straight home. The air was crisp and burned my lungs, but I continued onward. When our house came into view, I slowed to a brisk walk. The moment I walked through the door, a desperate Alicia rushed into my arms. I couldn't help but reciprocate her act and wrap my arms around her in return. I could feel her shaking within my embrace.

Alicia nuzzled into my chest but quickly pulled away with a cough. "W-were you running or something? You're all sweaty!" She left my side and ran into the bathroom. I followed after her without a second thought.

"Yeah, something like that…" I answered. I didn't want her to know why I had been running in the first place, though. I couldn't shake the suspicious look she shot me when she handed me the cool cloth.

I had the feeling that presenting the ring would take more than just my reckless impulse this time.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I'm trying my hand at something more mature and serious this time around. At first, I was going to split the two points of view into separate chapters, but I think it works better to just split the chapters in half like this as two sides of the same thing. As the story goes on, it shouldn't be too hard to discern whose point of view it is.

Anyway, the title "Refraction" seems random, but if you actually sit down and think about it, it makes sense. I won't tell you, though, because it's good food for thought.


	2. Pass 02

"Refraction"

_Refraction n: the bending of a ray when it passes slantwise from medium into another in which its speed is different._

Chapter 02

_Side A_

I shut the door behind me quietly and fingered the small box in my coat pocket. It had been a couple of days since I had bought it, but I couldn't seem to present Alicia with it. Whenever I tried to pull it out, my hand would just freeze over it. I was pretty sure that Alicia was becoming increasingly impatient that I hadn't given it to her yet. I shrugged the heavy coat off and set it on the back of my chair. Why did the whole issue have to be so complicated?

I pulled off my day clothes as well and settled under my covers. There was no point in dwelling on my simple inability to give Alicia a simple ring. I relished the warmth of the covers and fell into a partially peaceful slumber.

"Welkin... Welkin! It's time to get up." There was an irritated huff. "Breakfast's going to get cold."

"Ah," I sat up groggily only to see that Alicia's face hovered in front of mine. "G-good morning, Alicia."

Her lips glistened temptingly in my line of view. I resisted the urge to claim them so early in the morning. My drowsy mind couldn't tear my gaze away; the effect she had on me was too powerful –

"Welkin?" Alicia shifted and moved away from my bed. "Is there something on my face? Or are you thinking about how similar I am to some animal right now?"

Before I could object and reassure her that I was doing nothing of the sort, she promptly turned and headed for the door.

"Breakfast is going to get cold if we just sit in here." Alicia shut the door behind her, and I sighed. I probably should've kissed her anyway. Maybe she was offended by my staring… I shrugged it all off and dressed myself quickly. I grabbed my coat and bag and hurried after her into the kitchen. The sight of food made my empty stomach stir to life.

"Hmm, it looks good," I commented and took a seat at the table. Alicia smiled; she seemed back to her usual cheerful self. I smiled back and gratefully accepted the mug of coffee she offered me. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" Alicia joined me at the table and scooted to sit closer to me. "So, today is a half day for you, right?"

I took a sip of coffee before nodding. "Yeah; why do you ask?"

"N-no reason!" Alicia waved her hands back and forth to emphasize her point. For some reason, she seemed really flustered.

"Is something wrong, Alicia?"

"Huh? What? Oh, no! Not at all!" She stood from the chair and took my mug from me to refill it. "Will you be going out on another nature walk today?"

"Yeah," I answered quietly. Part of me felt like I should skip it today, though. I took a quick look at the clock and realized that I was starting to run late. "I'll talk to you later, Alicia."

"W-wait, Welkin!" I cut her off with a hasty peck to the lips and grinned.

"We'll talk later, okay?" I grabbed my things and ran out the door. Once I met the crisp morning air, I shivered; it really was starting to get colder lately.

I went to the university for my class, but I found that I really couldn't concentrate on the lecture. Images of Alicia kept flooding my mind. As soon as the professor dismissed us, I gathered my things and practically ran out the door. One look at the sky warned of ominous weather and forced me to take shelter under the overhang of a nearby shop. Cold, cruel drops of rain pounded the ground and soaked it within a few mere moments. I let out a disappointed sigh. The one day I planned to return to Alicia's side early, the weather was against me.

The harsh downpour continued to rage on after what seemed like an hour. I pulled the ring box out of my pocket and stared at it despairingly. Why couldn't I be as strong as that time at the end of the war when Alicia was in danger? I felt pathetic for once in my life.

The sight of some unusual insects caught my attention. I felt around for my insect case only to realize that I had left it at home in a hurry. These particular bugs were so interesting, though… I took a glance at the box in my hand and considered my choices. I could always put them in my case at home later…

With just a moment's hesitation, I removed the ring from the box, placed it in my pants pocket, and put the odd creatures in the box. Once the rain lessened enough for me to leave the cover of the awning, I immediately headed home. The moment my house was in view, I saw Alicia standing outside with an umbrella. Her face lit up when our eyes met.

"Welkin!" She ran toward me and paused to look me up and down. "You're soaked! Hurry inside and dry off. Come on, come on!"

I obeyed and followed Alicia into our home. She took my wet coat from me and handed me a warm, fluffy towel. "Thanks, Alicia," I expressed my gratitude and gave her cheek a small chaste kiss. Her face took on a pink tint before she turned away.

"I-I'll go get you some fresh clothes, okay?" She ran to the laundry room and left no chance for me to stop her. When she returned a few minutes later with a fresh set of clothing for me to wear, she seemed depressed compared to how she was earlier. I frowned at the sight. After changing into the clean clothes she brought me, I confronted her.

"Alicia." She turned toward me, but refused to meet my gaze. She was upset about something but was trying to hide it from me. "Let me help you with dinner," I finished dumbly.

Alicia seemed taken aback by what I said. "H-huh? Uh… okay."

We stood side by side in the kitchen and barely spoke the entire time. There was an air of tension above us. The only times we spoke were when I asked for instructions or she noticed I was doing something wrong. Even when we ate our meal, we didn't talk very much. Hans even seemed wary of our behavior towards each other. When we finished eating, I joined Alicia in cleaning up, determined to fix our problem.

"Alicia, what's wrong?" I asked as I took a plate from her and dried it. She looked away from me.

"Welkin, you're so clueless!" Alicia snapped at me, frustrated. I nodded my head in agreement which seemed to confuse her.

"You're right; I am clueless." I took another plate from her shaking hand and dried it. "That's why you need to tell me what's wrong. I won't know anything if you won't tell me."

"W-Welkin…" Alicia's eyes watered and tears fell down her cheeks in rapid succession, which alarmed me. "I-I…"

I embraced her trembling form impulsively. "It's okay, Alicia. I'm right here."

"Were you r-really serious back then? Did you mean it when you said you'd be with me always?"

"Yes, I wouldn't lie about that," I answered fiercely. I wouldn't joke about something like that! I seized her left hand and fished the ring out of my pocket. Kneeling before her, I placed it on her ring finger and looked up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry that I'm not very good at serious things. I should've given this to you earlier…"

"Welkin!" The tears continued to flood out of her eyes in great torrents. She wrapped her arms around my neck tightly.

"I'll ask you again. Will you be with me, Alicia? …Will you marry me?"

"Of course!" Alicia answered my question without a moment's hesitation. After sharing a special, heartfelt moment together, Alicia pulled away from me and let out a giggle. "Hehe, you've got soap bubbles in your hair."

I chuckled with her. All the prior tension was gone, and everything felt the way it should've in the first place. I couldn't shake an odd feeling in my gut, though.

* * *

_Side B_

I stared at the door to Welkin's room despondently. This was our distance… We slept in separate rooms just across from each other despite our relationship. I shook the feeling of loneliness that was starting to take hold and tore my gaze away from his door. I turned and walked into the kitchen to make breakfast. Hans joined me in my task, and once breakfast was cooked, I walked back to Welkin's room. I paused in front of his door again.

After a moment of hesitation, I opened his door and walked in. I smiled at his room because it definitely screamed Welkin with all the papers, books, and various pieces of nature equipment that were scattered about. I shook my head and moved to his bed to rouse him.

"Welkin... Welkin! It's time to get up." I huffed with irritation when he rolled away from me. "Breakfast's going to get cold."

"Ah, g-good morning, Alicia." Welkin finally sat up but seemed to be staring at me weirdly. I felt my face heat up at the intensity of his gaze.

"Welkin? Is there something on my face? Or are you thinking about how similar I am to some animal this early in the morning?" I shifted and moved away from him because I didn't know how much longer I could last under that powerful stare of his. I felt irritated with his silence after a moment and moved to the door. "Breakfast is going to get cold if we just sit in here." I shut the door behind me and let out a sigh. What if he wanted to kiss me or something? I shook my head vigorously at the thought. That was probably just wishful thinking…

I walked to the kitchen and started dish up some food for Welkin, Hans, and myself. Welkin joined me a moment later and sat at the table.

"Hmm, it looks good," he commented. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. I didn't want him to think I was in a bad mood or something right now. I poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome!" I grabbed a chair and sat as close to Welkin as I could manage. Maybe since it was so cold, I could get him to spend some more time with me today… "So, today is a half day for you, right?"

He took a sip of coffee before nodding. "Yeah; why do you ask?"

"N-no reason!"

"Is something wrong, Alicia?" Welkin raised an eyebrow at me and continued drinking his coffee.

"Huh? What? Oh, no! Not at all!" I took his mug from him to fill it as an excuse to turn away. "Will you be going out on another nature walk today?"

"Yeah, I'll talk to you later, Alicia." He glanced at the clock and started gathering his things.

"W-wait, Welkin!" Before I could say anything else, he cut me off with a quick kiss and smile.

"We'll talk later, okay?"

Welkin disappeared from the house right after. I touched my lips thoughtfully and took a sip from _his_ coffee mug. Hans came to join me as I stood in a momentary stupor.

"W-Welkin…"

The rest of the day passed uneventfully except for when Hans came back in the house after playing outside and left mud everywhere. That took a good hour or so to clean up. The thought of mud made me do a double take, though. For there to be mud, it had to be wet… Rain! Welkin didn't take an umbrella with him!

I grabbed my umbrella and opened the door only to be met with a violent rainstorm. If it was that strong, Welkin probably took shelter somewhere; he wasn't a complete idiot after all. I shut the door and put the umbrella back in the meantime. I set about tidying up the house some more and had even studied for my exam while I was at it. I also made sure Hans didn't go back outside in that weather. The last thing I needed was to have to clean up after him again.

When the rain started to calm down, I put everything away and went outside with the umbrella. Welkin would most likely be home soon. As if on cue, he rounded the corner just then. I gasped at his soaked, disheveled appearance and ran toward him. "Welkin! You're soaked! Hurry inside and dry off. Come on, come on!"

I ran back into the house and grabbed a towel that I had set out in case of this scenario. I handed it to him and took his wet coat worriedly; it'd be bad if he caught a cold.

"Thanks, Alicia." Welkin leaned in and gave me an unexpected and quick kiss. I flushed and turned away from him.

"I-I'll go get you some fresh clothes, okay?" I took the wet coat with me into the laundry room to dry. Just as I went to hang it, however, a small box fell out of the pocket. I regarded it carefully before picking it up. "I-is this what I think it is?"

When I opened the box, I had to stifle a scream. Bugs! There were bugs inside! But of course, this was Welkin, so I shouldn't have been so surprised. What was I expecting from him anyway? I closed the box and grabbed some fresh clothes for Welkin. I handed them to him wordlessly and stomped to the kitchen. A couple minutes later, Welkin confronted me with an air of seriousness.

"Alicia." I turned to him but kept my face lowered. I didn't want him to see me on the verge of tears; I had an idea what he was going to say, anyway. "Let me help you with dinner."

What Welkin actually said surprised me, though. "H-huh?" I couldn't help but let him do as he pleased, though. "Uh… okay."

The preparation of our meal was pretty quiet. The only times we spoke were when Welkin asked what to do or when I noticed he was doing something completely wrong. It was frustrating standing next to him like that but being unable to say anything else. Even when we were eating, we barely spoke. I didn't want it to be like this! Welkin broke the silence when we were cleaning up before I could.

"Alicia, what's wrong?" Welkin asked when we were washing dishes. I refused to look at him; I was sure that if I did, I would start crying.

"Welkin, you're so clueless!" I felt so frustrated. Why couldn't he see the problem with our relationship? I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye and felt confused.

"You're right; I am clueless. That's why you need to tell me what's wrong. I won't know anything if you won't tell me." I could feel myself shaking. I didn't know how much longer I could hold it in.

"W-Welkin…" The tears I had been holding back started to pour out of my eyes uncontrollably. "I-I…"

The next thing I knew, I was in his sturdy arms. "It's okay, Alicia. I'm right here."

I couldn't stop my mouth from blurting out everything that was on my mind. "Were you r-really serious back then? Did you mean it when you said you'd be with me always?" I felt like I had to know his answer; that was the whole reason why I was upset in the first place.

"Yes, I wouldn't lie about that." He grabbed my hand and kneeled! He kneeled and put a ring on my finger! I felt like my tears were more of happiness than anything else now. "I'm sorry that I'm not very good at serious things. I should've given this to you earlier…"

"Welkin!" The tears continued to spill from my eyes, but I didn't care anymore. I fell to my knees and hugged him as tightly as I could.

"I'll ask you again. Will you be with me, Alicia? …Will you marry me?"

"Of course!" I answered immediately; it was a no-brainer. After what felt like an eternity, I pulled away and stared at Welkin. The sight before me made me giggle. "Hehe, you've got soap bubbles in your hair."

It felt like everything was better than ever, but I couldn't help but feel like there was still something between us that was unresolved.

* * *

A/N: Time for things to start getting steamy! :D … No, seriously. Now that Welkin and Alicia are properly engaged to each other, they have to deal with some intimacy issues they have.


	3. Pass 03

"Refraction"

_Refraction n: the bending of a ray when it passes slantwise from one medium into another in which its speed is different._

Chapter 03

_Side A_

I passed by Welkin's door on my way to the kitchen and slowed to a stop. I glanced down at the ring on my finger and blushed; I still couldn't believe what had happened last night. As always, Welkin was mysterious in his way of knowing things; I didn't remember being brave enough to bring up my worries about the issue... I suddenly shivered from the cold and realized that it was getting harder and harder to keep warm. Winter was coming to Gallia after all.

I continued on to the kitchen to carry on my morning routine of preparing bread dough. I stifled a yawn when I switched the light on and shuffled to the oven to turn it on. It would be nice and warm as soon as the oven heated up. It was dark outside because it was still very early. No one else would be awake at this hour unless they were returning home from the bar or something after a long night. I carried on and set to work preparing dough for the day.

The hours went by and before I knew it, it was creeping into the earlier hours of morning. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it was approaching half past six. I let out a sigh; practicing getting up early in the morning to bake was tiring after months of not doing it. I set aside some portions of unbaked dough for later and moved on to make breakfast. Since I still felt a little giddy from Welkin's reiterated proposal last night, I decided to be a little more ambitious with the meal.

I set to work and made omelets, toasted some freshly baked bread, fried some sausage (I made a note to apologize to poor Hans later), and even made some pancakes. I wiped the sweat from my brow after inspecting my handiwork that was today's breakfast. The coffee was still brewing, but it was almost done. I let a big smile break out across my face; I felt so unstoppable today! I removed my apron and nearly skipped to Welkin's room to wake him up. I let myself in without hesitation this time.

"Welkin!" I walked to the side of his bed and tried to rouse him from his sleep. A moment passed in silence. "Welkin, if you don't get up, breakfast will get cold." I let out a weary sigh. It was the same every morning; I'd walk into his room to wake him up and say practically the same thing every time.

He mumbled something incoherent and rolled away from me. I felt my irritation at this pattern flare up. "Welkin! Come on!" I moved to shake him awake like I would on tougher mornings but stopped. That just felt too platonic now, for some reason; we were engaged after all! I let a wicked grin grace my face when I came up with an idea and inched closer to him. The closer I came to him, the more my face burned at my intentions.

"Welkin," I cooed in a softer voice than earlier. He seemed to respond more to my new tone of voice and rolled back to face me. I wouldn't let his actions deter me, though. I dove at and nibbled on his exposed neck. I wrapped my arms around him when Welkin writhed underneath me.

"A-ah!" Welkin groaned and suddenly sat up. I fell from his chest and onto his lap in a precarious position. I looked down and realized I was now straddling him. "Alicia?"

I felt my face burn even more than before and quickly moved to get off him. When I tried to swing my leg away from him, I heard a muffled groan and turned to face Welkin in alarm. Did I accidentally hurt him? His gaze was directed downward with an arm in front of his face, but when he looked up at my face, the intensity in his eyes held me in place. I opened my mouth to speak, but it just hung open stupidly. I felt like I was cornered.

Welkin inched forward slowly but hesitated inches away from me. I blinked in confusion at his actions when he turned away abruptly. "Breakfast, right?"

It took a moment for the fog to clear from my mind and his question to register in my mind. "O-oh! Yeah. Um…" I hurriedly climbed off of him and retreated to the kitchen. Once I was in my sanctuary, I couldn't help but notice it felt colder in there than Welkin's room even though the thermometer suggested otherwise.

Breakfast wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. In fact, it seemed as though our encounter in his room hadn't happened. After Welkin left for his classes, I set out to town for a change of pace. In the marketplace, I saw Rosie browsing the shops, and when she saw me, she excitedly dragged me off with her to do some shopping.

An hour or so went by before Rosie noticed the ring on my finger. Once she saw it, she forced me to sit down with her at a nearby café. She seemed genuinely curious about something. She turned to me once we got the drinks we ordered and gave me a mischievous grin. I tried to ignore the crisp, late-autumn air that was stinging my lungs.

"So how far have you two gone?"

I almost spit out the water I was drinking. "W-what?"

Rosie frowned at my reaction. "Come on! You guys can't be _that_ old fashioned, can you? I mean, really! You guys aren't kids, you know?"

I felt my cheeks burn at her words; they were so true. Rosie's expression seemed to soften at that moment. "Look, just answer this: do you guys at least sleep in the same bed?"

It felt like she hit the bull's eye with her question. She realized it as well and let out an exasperated sigh. We sat there in silence for a couple tense minutes and just drank our drinks. Before I could ask what was on her mind, Rosie stood up abruptly and took my arm.

"We're going shopping!" she declared and dragged me back off to the shops. I couldn't help but get a bad feeling in my gut about it…

When I finally got back home a couple tiring hours later, I collapsed on the floor in front of the door and dropped all my bags around me. Rosie's words still resounded in my ears; just thinking about what she proposed I should do made my face overheat. I gathered my strength and collected my bags to put them away. Just when I stood up, I heard the door open and close behind me.

"Alicia? Did you just come back from shopping? What'd you get?" I froze at his questions. He wasn't supposed to see any of this!

"I-it's nothing!" I tightened my grip on my bags and made a mad dash for my room without bothering to look back at him. I shut the door behind me with an unintentional slam and slumped down against it. That was way too close… I stared at the bags beside me and sighed.

"_Maybe you should try seducing him. He's so dense that maybe you need to make the first move."_

S-seduce him!? My face was on fire at the thought of doing such a thing. I peeked into one of the bags and felt my face burn even more. The lingerie was so sheer and revealing… I didn't even realize they made things like this! Then again, if there were swimsuits like the one I wore for Welkin at the beach…

"Alicia?" I could hear Welkin's voice on the other side of my door. "Is something wrong? You weren't back to make lunch earlier either… Are you hungry?"

I jumped at Welkin's words. I wasn't able to make lunch for him today because I was with Rosie! Before I could stand, open the door, and apologize, Welkin was gone. There were sounds of preparation in the kitchen…

"Huh?" I jogged down the hall and into the kitchen and saw Welkin pulling things out of the cabinet. "W-what are you doing?"

He glanced over at me and smiled. "I was going to start cooking dinner…"

I scoffed at his casual remark and placed my hands on my hips. "And just what do you plan to make?"

"Hm? Soup. It'd go really nice with some of your bread. I was just checking to see what we had first… Is there a problem?"

I felt my face heat up again. Since when was Welkin this self-sufficient? "A-ah, um, n-no! That's just fine then." I joined him in the kitchen and helped him pick out ingredients for our dinner, and I set to work boiling the water when we came to an agreement. Welkin put a hand on my shoulder and guided me away from the stove as soon as the water was in place. I gave him a curious look.

"You go ahead and bake the bread. I'll take care of the soup." I gave him a skeptical look to which he replied, "Don't worry, I promise I won't burn it."

Welkin surprised me by keeping true to his word and paying close attention to our dinner. All through dinner, I couldn't help but wonder at his behavior. Was he always like this? Or maybe… I just wasn't aware of it before.

After we cleaned up, Welkin went to his room to study. I was left to myself to ponder what to do. Should I do what Rosie suggested? Or should I chicken out? At the thought of "chickening out," I clenched my fists. I wasn't a coward! I stormed into my room and rummaged through the bags. More of Rosie's words rang in my mind.

"_I remember some of the guys at the bar talking about what they liked once. One thing guys really liked was when their girls wore their shirts with seductive underwear underneath. I don't really get it, but you never know. It might just work…"_

I picked a random set from the bags of lingerie Rosie had gotten for me and hurriedly changed into it. I shivered when my bare skin made contact with the cool air, but I ignored it and headed for the laundry room for the next part of my ensemble. Several of Welkin's shirts hung there innocently, and I slid into one of them nervously.

I somehow dispelled the tension and giggled when I realized just how big Welkin's shirt was on me. My fingers were lost in the long sleeves, and the bottom of the shirt went to the middle of my thighs. Once I got over the bliss of actually wearing something of Welkin's, I went back into my room to inspect my look in the mirror. I frowned at how off my ponytails seemed to throw everything off and let my hair down. I tousled my hair a bit and smiled at the results; I had to admit, I looked pretty sexy.

I spent some time in my room trying to perfect my look until I realized that Welkin would be heading to bed soon. I crept out of my room and into his. The lights were already out! I pouted but sneaked to his bed anyway. As quietly as I could, I slipped under the covers with him. He was already asleep… I let out a yawn and soon joined him in his slumber. The hours ticked by pretty fast, and before I knew it, I had somewhat gained consciousness again.

"A-Alicia? What are you doing in here?" That voice sounded so hazy and distant… I shivered and clung to the nearest source of warmth. "H-hey, Alicia?"

I could feel the warmth moving away and frowned. It was so cold… I tried to tighten my grip, but my fingers seemed so feeble. Just then, something cold swooped down and touched my forehead, much to my displeasure. "D-don't…"

"You're burning up! H-hold on, let me get you something!" The warmth was trying to move away again!

"No!" I protested desperately. Eventually, the warmth settled and stayed still. I smiled; now it wasn't so cold. Everything went dark again after that. It felt like an eternity had passed before I regained consciousness again. I cracked my eyes open but immediately shut them at the brightness. I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't budge. "Ugh."

I squinted at my surroundings and realized that I was still in Welkin's room… in Welkin's bed. I couldn't remember what had happened after coming into his room to sleep. Everything was a blur… My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and closing.

"You're awake…" I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw Welkin with a tray. "You have a fever, you know?" He gave me a reassuring smile, set the tray down on his desk, and pulled his chair up to side of the bed.

"So," he started again. "Why were you in my bed, uh… hardly wearing anything?"

I couldn't tell if my face was on fire from embarrassment or from my fever. I tried to open my mouth to speak, but all I could manage were a couple of dry coughs. Welkin leaned forward, helped me sit up, and pat my back to ease my coughing fit.

"Hey, take it easy." Welkin kept a firm hand on my back to keep me sitting up and grabbed a mug off the tray. I glanced up at him questioningly. "It's tea. It should help you a bit."

Instead of trusting me to hold it, Welkin scooped a spoonful of it out and blew on the hot liquid before he offered it to me. I accepted it gratefully, but I almost spit it out immediately.

"Ew, what is that? It's so bitter."

"It's ginger tea. My mother used to make it for me when I was younger." He scooped up another spoonful and offered it to me. I obediently continued sipping the spoonfuls of tea until I had finished all of it. Welkin gave me a satisfied smile. "How do you feel now?"

"A little better," I answered and fell back on his pillows. He put the dishes back on the tray before he turned back to me. I began to feel uneasy underneath his gaze.

"Why? Why did you do that?"

I hid my face under his blanket and replied with a muffled, "It was Rosie's idea."

"Huh?"

"We're engaged, and you don't even want to sleep with me…" I poked my face out of the blanket to gauge his reaction but was surprised at what I saw. Welkin looked… pained.

"It's not that I don't want to sleep with you, Alicia." Welkin looked away from me for a moment, and I swore I saw his face turn a brilliant shade of red. "I'm just worried."

"What? What could you possibly be worried about?"

"Our future. What if I give in to my primal desires and… lose control?" He seemed to be struggling with the possibilities. "I don't want to hinder your dream in any way."

It took a moment for what he was saying to sink in. "W-wait! You're saying that if I get too close, you could lose control of yourself and…" I paused and gulped nervously. "… and get me pregnant?"

Welkin ducked his face out of view and nodded. I sighed and let my head roll to the side. Now his distance made a little more sense… I let my eyes roam around his room until they settled on the clock. My eyes widened.

"Welkin! Didn't you go to class today?"

"Hmm?" Welkin looked at the clock, which read a quarter past five and shook his head. "No, you were more important to me than my classes."

I wanted to be angry at him for being hypocritical but settled with a sigh. I was flattered that he thought that way, but… A thought suddenly occurred to me. I caught a glimpse of the faraway look on Welkin's face and decided that this would be the perfect time to catch him off guard. I decided I would give this plan a try. "Welkin, did you like what you saw?" I took pleasure from seeing him visibly tense up.

"W-well, that is, uh…" He seemed to be at a loss for words, not to mention immensely flustered. I giggled slightly and let an uncharacteristically devilish grin spread across my face when I saw the chance to bring up my solution to everything.

"How about a compromise then?" Welkin turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "I won't pester you for an answer to that question if you'll let me sleep with you from now on."

"Alicia, I –" I cut him off a sharp glare. He should've known better; I had complete trust in his abilities to control himself. I guess I had to remind him.

"I believe in you Welkin. Remember: I'm not scared when I'm with you."

Welkin seemed to consider it for a moment before he finally relented with a sigh. "I guess that's fine then. Now concentrate on getting better, okay?"

I snuggled into his sheets and let out a contented sigh. Everything went according to plan! "Yes, Doctor Nature."

* * *

_Side B_

Winter was almost here, so the weather had become increasingly colder each day. The morning air was especially crisp and unforgiving. That just made huddling in bed even better. I had been enjoying my sleep for a good while under my warm sheets and waited for Alicia to rouse me from sleep. This morning had a different feeling to it, however.

"Welkin! Come on!" There was a pause before Alicia's voice called me again but more seductively. "Welkin." I rolled over to face the source of the mellifluous voice but was met with something even more surprising. Something or someone grabbed me and started biting at my neck! I thrashed about, now suddenly awake and groaned at the sensation.

"A-ah!" I sat up abruptly and saw Alicia sitting in my lap. I felt my face burn at the sight. "Alicia?"

She appeared to be flustered as well and moved to get off me, but she brushed against me in a certain spot… I shielded my face with my arm and tried to stifle the resulting groan. I looked down and away from Alicia and hoped she wouldn't notice my reaction. When I felt her staring, however, I looked back at her. Her mouth fell open and glistened tantalizingly in front of me.

I moved forward to close the distance between us but stopped when I saw the look in her eyes. Alicia looked cornered and intimidated… I broke away from her and cleared my throat. "Breakfast, right?" I asked lamely. There was a momentary pause before she answered.

"O-oh! Yeah. Um…" Alicia quickly climbed off of me and practically ran to the door. I let out a relieved sigh. I wasn't sure what I would've done if that had gone further than it did.

I stood up and went about getting dressed for the day. I went to the kitchen for breakfast with the intention of acting like all that hadn't happened earlier. Alicia surprisingly didn't question me, and we ate breakfast in relative peace. Once it was time for my classes, I left the warmth of our small home and entered the cold streets of Randgriz.

The walk to the university was uneventful and most of the conversations I could catch consisted of the progress of the political reform in the Empire and Gallia. The Federation was surprisingly in the middle of a political revolution as well. I felt that most of those matters didn't concern me so much anymore, though, and continued on my way.

My lessons once again were done in a flash, and I was excited to get back home for lunch. When I got back home, I found it empty, save for Hans. Alicia wasn't around, so there wasn't any fresh bread. I sighed. I would just eat some leftovers and head back to the university for the rest of my classes. I grabbed a quick bite and went back for the rest of my classes. I couldn't really focus, though, so I was glad when the professor dismissed us.

I closed my coat tighter around myself and walked back home quietly. There was only occasional chatter about the Randgriz royal family conspiracy here and there the entire way back home. Other than that, there wasn't really any interesting news on the streets. When I walked in through the door, I saw Alicia sitting on the floor with a plethora of bags at her sides. I raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Alicia? Did you just come back from shopping? What'd you get?"

"I-it's nothing!" She clenched her fists around the bags' handles and ran to her room with all the bags. I froze in shock. What was in those bags? I shrugged it off after a moment and followed her to her door.

"Alicia? Is something wrong? You weren't back to make lunch earlier either… Are you hungry?" I paused and waited for a response. When I didn't get one, I sighed and walked into the kitchen. I guess soup wouldn't be too bad for dinner today… After rummaging through the cabinets for a couple minutes, I heard Alicia come out of her room and stop in the doorway.

"W-what are you doing?"

I glanced over at Alicia's alarmed face with a smile. "I was going to start cooking dinner…"

She put her hands on her hips. "And just what do you plan to make?"

"Hm? Soup. It'd go really nice with some of your bread. I was just checking to see what we had first… Is there a problem?"

"A-ah, um, n-no! That's just fine then." She came into the kitchen to help pick out the ingredients and went to boil the water after that. I remembered that the bread would go nicely with the meal and tried to guide Alicia away from the pot.

"You go ahead and bake the bread. I'll take care of the soup." She gave me a skeptical look, and I quickly had to counter, "Don't worry, I promise I won't burn it."

I somehow managed to keep the soup from burning to the bottom of the pot, and true to my word, the fresh bread Alicia had baked went very well with the soup. We ate in comfortable silence, and after we cleaned up, I went to my room to study.

I sat at my desk and examined my class notes carefully. The professor had emphasized certain points during his lecture, so I was sure that those things were definitely going to be on the final… I yawned and stretched after a couple hours of thorough studying. I realized that I had taken more time going over my notes than I had originally intended. When I stood up and started cleaning up my notes, I heard footsteps out in the hall.

"Hmm? Alicia wouldn't be up this late… Hans maybe?" I muttered to myself. I eventually shrugged it off and headed to bed.

I woke up feeling warmer than usual and enjoyed every moment of it. When I looked down at the source of the extra warmth, my face almost blanched. "A-Alicia? What are you doing in here?" I peeled the sheet away from her and saw that she was only wearing one of my shirts. My face flushed at the sight. I tried to rouse her before my body could do something I'd regret. "H-hey, Alicia?"

I tried to move away from her to alleviate the arousal her proximity caused, but she tried to tighten her grip on me in response. I let out a weary sigh and brushed her fringe away from her face. I gasped at her high temperature, and Alicia whined against my touch. "D-don't…"

"You're burning up! H-hold on, let me get you something!" I attempted to climb out of bed to get her a cool compress, but she refused to let go of me.

"No!" she cried desperately and tried to keep a tight hold on me. I gave in a moment later and settled back down. I'd get some medicine for her later. In the meantime, I'd keep her unconscious form company. I blushed when the feeling of excitement came back. Alicia's chest was pressed right up against me… Her warm, sweaty skin was touching me, too.

I gulped and tried to keep my hands in appropriate places, but Alicia kept positioning herself in precarious arrangements. It took all of my willpower to not take advantage of her in her weakened state. I stayed with her for a couple dangerous hours, and I let out a sigh of relief when her grip on me slackened enough for me to get out of bed.

By that point, my morning classes had already ended, but I didn't care. Alicia was a higher priority anyway. I got dressed and went into the kitchen to feed myself and Hans. After we ate some leftover bread, I dug through the cabinet for some ginger. Alicia had made a point the other day to stock up on some for the coming season, so she could experiment with cakes and cookies. Once I found what I was looking for, I boiled some water in the tea kettle. While waiting for the water to heat up, I peeled and chopped up the ginger. As soon as the water was ready, I sweetened it and added the chopped ginger.

I took a seat at the table to think while the tea steeped. Why was Alicia in my bed… dressed like that? I felt my face burn in remembrance; she looked so… attractive. My thoughts were interrupted by Hans's oinking. I looked in his direction and saw that he was pointing his nose at the tea.

"Okay, okay. I got it Hans. I'll take it to Alicia right away." I grabbed a tray and loaded it with the kettle, a spoon, and a filled mug. Hans seemed satisfied with my actions and went off to tend to his own business. I shook my head good naturedly at his behavior and carried the tray to my room. When I opened my door, I saw that Alicia's eyes were cracked open.

"You're awake… You have a fever, you know?" I tried to give her a reassuring smile and set the tray carefully down on the table. With that taken care of, I pulled my chair up to the side of the bed and took a seat.

"So, why were you in my bed, uh… hardly wearing anything?"

I realized at that moment that I had asked the completely wrong question because Alicia broke into a fit of coughs. I sat her up and placed a hand soothingly on her back to ease her coughing. Her face seemed to have become a brighter shade of red.

"Hey, take it easy." I kept one hand on Alicia's back when I reached over for the mug and spoon. Alicia gave me an odd look, and I had to resist the urge to chuckle. "It's tea. It should help you a bit."

I stirred the honey-colored liquid, scooped a spoonful of it out, and blew on it before I offered it to her. I knew there was no way she'd be able to hold the mug and drink it herself. She hesitantly took a sip and immediately made a disgusted face. I once again had to resist the urge to laugh.

"Ew, what is that? It's so bitter."

"It's ginger tea." I paused for a moment when I remembered how I used to drink it in my youth. I hesitated a moment before I continued, "My mother used to make it for me when I was younger." I continued spoon feeding the bitter tea to her until it was all gone. I smiled; she somehow managed to finish it all despite the taste. "How do you feel now?"

"A little better," she answered. I gave a brief nod and put the dishes on the tray again. I looked back at her and decided that I still needed her answer to my earlier question.

"Why?" I tried to intensify my gaze. "Why did you do that?"

Alicia hid under my blanket. "… Rofie's ider..."

"Huh?" I cocked my head to the side. What did she say?

She poked her face out of the blanket before she answered again. "We're engaged, and you don't even want to sleep with me…" Alicia's voice was tight with emotion. I wanted to look away but found that I couldn't. I felt guilty that I had been trying to avoid that, but I had my reasons.

"It's not that I don't want to sleep with you, Alicia." I finally found the strength to look away, but I felt my face warm up because of what I needed to say. "I'm just worried."

"What? What could you possibly be worried about?"

"Our future. What if I give in to my primal desires and… lose control?" I braced myself. That was the last thing I wanted to tell her. I continued, "I don't want to hinder your dream in any way."

There was a moment of silence before it seemed to click in Alicia's dazed mind. "W-wait! You're saying that if I get too close, you could lose control of yourself and…" She gulped shakily. "… and get me pregnant?"

I ducked my face out of her view and nodded. I really didn't want to embarrass myself any further. We sat in silence once again for a couple minutes, but it was interrupted by Alicia's gasp.

"Welkin! Didn't you go to class today?"

"Hmm?" I glanced at the clock uninterestedly and shook my head. I wouldn't have bothered to go even if Alicia hadn't kept a firm hold on me this morning. "No, you were more important to me than my classes." We went quiet again for another minute or so. I definitely didn't expect the random question that Alicia chose to break the silence with.

"Welkin, did you like what you saw?" I tensed up at her sudden, spontaneous question. Why did she have to ask me that of all things?

"W-well, that is, uh…" I fumbled for the right words but found that I really couldn't compose myself. No words could accurately describe how I thought she looked… Alicia giggled at my reaction and smiled. I couldn't help tug at my shirt collar nervously; her expression made no effort to belie the intentions of her next words.

"How about a compromise then? I won't pester you for an answer to that question if you'll let me sleep with you from now on."

"Alicia, I –" She cut me off with a look that could kill and seemed to consider her next words carefully. I gulped in apprehension.

"I believe in you Welkin. Remember: I'm not scared when I'm with you."

I relented and hung my head. There was no way I could fight back when she put that much faith in my abilities. It wasn't like I stood much of a chance against her with such a strong argument. "I guess that's fine then. Now concentrate on getting better, okay?"

"Yes, Doctor Nature."

I stood up and took the tray from the top of my desk. "I'll be right back; I just need to take care of these."

I didn't even wait for an answer. I left my room and headed to the kitchen to wash the dishes. While I was scrubbing the mug and kettle, thoughts of Alicia once again flooded my mind. I guess even someone like Alicia could get sick every now and then… I glimpsed out the window and saw snowflakes fall to the ground in a flurry. It was the first snow of the winter. I smiled at the significance of this event.

It was the beginning of an important part of our relationship just as it was the beginning of a new season. Things were bound to become more intense from this point on…

* * *

A/N: This chapter took forever because I kept getting distracted… It was also pretty hard for me to "heat" things up, so to speak. I'm not totally used to writing that kind of romance material yet. I'm sure I get the hang of it later, though.

And thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing my story. All of your comments and encouragement are very helpful in improving my writing. If there's anything you'd like to see happen in this story, I'd be happy to consider your ideas and see if they'd work.


	4. Pass 04

"Refraction"

_Refraction n: the bending of a ray when it passes slantwise from one medium into another in which its speed is different._

Chapter 04

_Side A_

"Ah! Welkin! T-the…" I groaned at the sudden awakening and opened my eyes to a very frantic Alicia. Well, at least she looked a lot better today. I smiled and quirked an eyebrow in confusion. What could possibly be troubling her?

"The laundry! You didn't bring it last night!" she whined. I winced in realization. It snowed last night, and I had completely forgotten about the laundry that Alicia left hanging the day before.

So that's what the problem was.

"Welkin! You're so hopeless! Now I have to wash those clothes all over again."

I rubbed my eyes sleepily and glanced at the clock; it was barely five in the morning. Why did she have to wake me up this early for this? "Is that all that's wrong? Okay then." I yawned and lay back down with the intention of going back to sleep. I felt Alicia shake me awake again a moment later.

"I've been so busy lately that _all_ of my clothes were in that last load..." She trailed off with a blush and continued, "I have nothing to wear!"

My eyes snapped open. Alicia didn't have any fresh clothes to wear? Uh oh… Bad thoughts, bad thoughts… I sat up abruptly, the urgency of the situation finally sinking in, and came face to face with my worrisome fiancée. My eyes unconsciously trailed down only to meet her blanket-covered form. I held back a sigh of disappointment.

"I-I'll just lend you some of my clothes to wear, then. That'd be okay with you, right?" She nodded in response. I climbed out of bed and trudged over to my dresser with a red-faced Alicia in tow. I handed her a random shirt and went back to sit on the edge of my – er, _our_ bed. My face instantaneously erupted in flame when Alicia dropped the blanket she was wrapped in and slipped into my shirt. Memories of the other night flashed in my drowsy mind. There was no way I was going to get back to sleep tonight.

I fidgeted while Alicia fumbled with the buttons of my shirt. Her underwear was still visible through the opening of the shirt… I tried to keep my thoughts innocent, but I eventually stopped trying when my tired mind came to the conclusion that I was entitled to have these thoughts about her. We'd be getting married in time, so there wasn't really a problem with this situation. My train of thought was unhinged by Alicia's frustrated growl.

"I keep losing the buttonholes in all this fabric!" Alicia looked up at me and seemed to flush with embarrassment. "Welkin…"

I had no idea what came over me, but I stood up from the bed wordlessly and took the button she was currently holding from her dainty fingers. I did up every single button for her without a thought. I suddenly snapped out of my daze and released the fabric of the shirt. Why did my body just move by itself like that?

"Ah... Sorry, Alicia. I – my body just," I spoke the words in a jumbled mess. Alicia just giggled at me and gave my lips a gentle peck.

"Y-you don't need to apologize… So, thank you, Welkin." Alicia seemed just as embarrassed as me. She slowly moved away from me and left the room, presumably to bake some bread. I felt a big grin spread across my face and felt like the happiest fool in Gallia at that moment.

I changed into some fresh clothes as well and followed Alicia out into the kitchen. I silently stood in the doorway and watched her gather ingredients for her bread dough. I didn't feel like making myself known at the moment because Alicia was in her element. I wanted to see firsthand the happiness that baking brought her. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't notice me until close to an hour had gone by, the first loaves were put in the oven, and the remaining dough had been portioned for the day.

I resisted the urge to smile when Alicia gasped in surprise at seeing me standing so casually in the doorway. I stood up straight and moved to join her in the kitchen. I had to admit, seeing Alicia in only one of my shirts and her apron was pretty alluring. She seemed to realize what was going through my head and quickly but futilely shielded herself with her arms. Her face seemed to grow increasingly hotter as the minutes passed. I softly lifted her arms away from her body and drank in the new view.

"W-Welkin…" Alicia's eyes kept flitting about the room and never seemed to focus on me. I moved closer and glided my lips over her ear. I could feel her shudder under my touch.

"Don't be embarrassed. You're so beautiful," I whispered into her ear tenderly. I didn't know what was taking hold of everything I did, but with results like these, I wasn't about to stop it any time soon. I trailed my lips down to her neck and reveled in satisfaction at the sharp gasp she let out. I planted a quick kiss there before I pulled away to take in the effect I had on her.

I couldn't help the smug grin that came when Alicia desperately pulled me back for a long kiss. This kiss wasn't just one of those innocent pecks we'd been sharing lately either. Our lips met hungrily and only broke away for seconds at a time for air. I tightened my hold on her, determined not to let her go. She seemed to share my sentiments and refused to loosen her hold on me as well.

The chime of the timer broke us apart in a flash. How long had we been at that? One look at the clock told me that it was nearly seven in the morning now. Time always seemed to fly by like that whenever we were together. The bread was out in moments and before I knew it, Alicia was shooing me out of the kitchen.

"I need to be able to actually concentrate on breakfast. I don't want to burn it, you know?"

I tentatively complied with her request and sat at the table with Hans for what felt like forever. The plump porcavian even seemed to give me all-knowing looks every now and then. I patted his head absentmindedly while we waited for our meal. Finally, Alicia appeared in the doorway with a smile more vibrant than normal

"Breakfast is ready!" Alicia brought out several plates full of food and started giving everyone their servings. My stomach growled at the sight of fresh food on my plate. I gave Alicia a speedy "Thanks," and dug in. It was delicious as usual.

I gathered my bag and coat after I had eaten my fill because I had classes to attend today. I was reluctant to go, but the fact that Alicia would be waiting for me when I came back was all I needed to propel myself to the door. Alicia met me at the door before I could go and gave me a hug and a chaste kiss. She smiled up at me with the slightest hint of a blush.

"I'll be sure to make lunch for you today. I promise."

I felt a wave of warmth sweep over me before settling in my chest. I returned her smile and headed out the door. She knew just how to make me fall even more in love with her every day.

The morning was an immense blur in my memory, but I had still somehow managed to take good enough notes during the lectures. I scanned the points that the professor had emphasized on the way home for lunch. I needed to make sure I was ready for the finals in a little over a month. My mind did a double take at the thought; Alicia's exam was around the same time as mine. I became so lost in thought that I didn't realize that I was just standing outside the door of our home. I shook everything from my mind and just entered the house as the only thing that mattered to me right now was lunch with Alicia. And, true to her word, she did have lunch ready.

As expected, the rest of the day once again went by in a flash. I noticed that I only seemed completely aware of the moments I shared with Alicia. When I entered the house once again, I was greeted by the sight of Alicia studiously preparing for her exam. I felt some part of me soften at her determination and tiptoed past her. Dinner lay on our modest dining table in all of its glory and beckoned me not to let it go to waste. I heeded its request and ate in deliberate silence, so I wouldn't disturb Alicia in the next room.

I set a portion of dinner aside for her and washed the rest of the dishes. Afterward, I went to our room to study as well. Hours passed as I stared at my hasty writing, and I diligently studied all of my notes until I felt my eyelids begin to droop. A lazy glimpse of the clock told me that it was close to eleven o'clock. I stretched and let out a weary yawn before I stripped out of my day clothes.

At that moment, Alicia entered the room with a sleepy yawn of her own. I tried not to smile at her embarrassment and instead carried on with my task of changing into comfortable clothing for the night. I handed Alicia a nightshirt while I was at it and climbed into bed. I made sure to leave some room for her to climb in next to me. As soon as she was changed, she wordlessly joined me and curled into my side. I absently wrapped an arm around her and played with her hair.

"Why don't we have our wedding when you pass your exam?"

"Isn't that a little soon? We haven't really planned any of it yet…" I wasn't going to let that excuse deter me.

"We could have our friends help plan it."

"But aren't most of them in Bruhl repairing your – um, I mean our house?" I almost thought I could see her face flush in the darkness. I rolled onto my side to face her.

"Well, I know for a fact that Largo and Eleanor are still here in Randgriz."

"Rosie's still here, too."

"So, let's ask them if they want to help plan the wedding. I heard that the repairs on the house are almost done anyway."

"We'll be able to move in right after the wedding then!" I couldn't help but smile at Alicia's newfound excitement. I pulled her against my chest and kissed her forehead.

"That's the spirit."

-----

After that fateful conversation, the rest of the month seemed to pass with agonizing slowness, but it was all worth it. The members of the now disbanded Squad Seven seemed thrilled at the thought of helping us plan our wedding. As a result, the remaining repairs to our house were made with surprising haste. It seemed like everyone wanted to take some part in planning the wedding. Everyone from the challenge-loving Vyse to the pacifist Susie was involved in the planning. Only occasionally would they pull either Alicia or me aside for things like fittings or just to ask our opinions about different flowers or arrangements.

When the week of my finals arrived, I had nothing to worry about. On the contrary, I had something to look forward to: our wedding. Thankfully, the exams weren't as hard as I had anticipated. I arrived home that day feeling almost as confident as I did when I had proposed to Alicia the first time. All that remained were my results, Alicia's exam, and the wedding that everyone had planned to be right after it.

While I sat comfortably with Alicia on the bed that night, I was suddenly reminded of my best friend Faldio who didn't have the chance to take his exams or be my best man at our ceremony. Thoughts of my younger sister Isara flitted through my mind as well. The war had taken some of the most important people in my life away, but being with Alicia… I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Guilt occasionally ate at me for being able to find such happiness, but whenever we were together, everything just disappeared.

Alicia glanced up at me curiously. "Is something wrong, Welkin?"

I pulled the love of my life closer and sighed, "Yeah, but… I'm sure it'll pass with time."

Alicia seemed to understand what I was referring to and accepted it with a thoughtful kiss. "Just remember that I won't be going anywhere."

I nodded in agreement and smiled down at her. "I wouldn't let you anyway."

_

* * *

_

Side B

I stared at the books in front of me intently. There was a lot to keep in mind when opening a bakery; there was the business aspect and the cooking aspect of doing such a thing. I was confident in my kitchen mannerisms, but I felt that I didn't fully understand what owning an actual business entailed. I let out a weary sigh and shut the book I had been scanning until just a moment ago because this was harder and more complicated than I initially thought.

Hans nudged my bare knee and reminded me of my current state of dress. I had been wearing one of Welkin's shirts all day long. The events related to this particular shirt sent chills up my spine in remembrance. Welkin had been so… _forward_ this morning because of it. I felt the heat blossom throughout my body and the goose bumps tingle on my skin when I remembered just how passionate he had looked when our bodies had seemingly melded together. I could've sworn my body was about ready to die from the sheer happiness; I slapped my cheeks to bring myself back to the world of the living. Hans was staring at me expectantly, as if willing me to put everything away and follow him.

I gathered my books and stacked them all neatly in the corner, an insistent Hans prodding at my heels every couple of steps of the way. As soon as the books were out of my hands, he guided me to the kitchen where my meal was already portioned and covered. I glanced around the kitchen in search of the rest of the dishes only to realize that they had been washed and put away. I scratched my head in bewilderment because I didn't remember Welkin walking through the door. He must've slipped in and done everything silently while I was engrossed in the reading material. As soon as my suspicions were all put to rest, Hans pushed me back toward my meal.

"Thank you," I whispered and ate my food. Both Welkin and Hans were concerned about me, which made me smile. We were like a little family… No, we _were_ family. Hans seemed to understand what was going through my mind and let out a content grunt.

I finished up in a matter of minutes, and I washed the rest of the dishes. As soon as my last chores were taken care of, I followed Hans's command to get some sleep. He insisted on pushing me down the hall to the bedroom. As soon as I was at the door, Hans stuck his nose up in the air with a satisfied "Moink!" and turned back the way we came. I giggled at his thoughtful behavior and opened the door with a yawn. The sight before me was quite unexpected, though, and I knew my face was on fire as a result.

Welkin was in the middle of undressing, probably to get ready for bed. He didn't seem to mind my stare and instead handed me a nightshirt to change into as well. I uttered a small word of thanks and changed. By the time I was done putting the shirt on, Welkin had already settled into bed. I climbed in next to him and let out a content sigh. A moment had passed before he wrapped an arm around me. I resisted the urge to laugh when he started playing with my hair. The tingling feeling from his hands in my hair tickled!

"Why don't we have our wedding when you pass your exam?" I jolted at the sound of his voice. It took a second to register his proposition. My exam was coming up pretty soon and so were his finals.

"Isn't that a little soon? We haven't really planned any of it yet…" I knew that my weak argument wasn't going to sway him. This was Welkin, after all.

"We could have our friends help plan it." I considered it but recalled that everyone had scattered to help repair the damage inflicted by the recent war. If I remembered correctly, everyone's first goal was to repair the Gunther residence in Bruhl.

"But aren't most of them in Bruhl repairing your –" I cut off in midsentence to correct myself, "um, I mean our house?"

"Well, I know for a fact that Largo and Eleanor are still here in Randgriz."

"Rosie's still here, too."

"So, let's ask them if they want to help plan the wedding. I heard that the repairs on the house are almost done anyway." I felt a tingle of excitement at Welkin's suggestion.

"We'll be able to move in right after the wedding then!" Welkin pulled me closer against his chest and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"That's the spirit," he cheered quietly before we drifted to sleep.

-----

Time had flown by faster than the birds that glided southward through Randgriz's skies, and the next thing I was aware of was the constant thrusting of various fabrics in my face. I could hear Edy and Rosie bickering over which fabric suited me best and the quiet, firm opinion of Marina in the distance. Susie bent over at my right and gave me an apologetic look. I waved her concern away and defiantly stood up, which caught the attention of everyone else. I put my hands on my hips and put on the most serious face I could muster at the moment.

"Doesn't the bride in question get a chance to consider all the fabrics equally?" I asked seriously but couldn't help breaking out into a big smile. All of the tension that had built up between everyone seemed to disappear, and even Rosie and Edy were calming down enough for me to judge the diverse cloths they held.

Eventually, everyone including myself unanimously decided on a beautiful, silky fabric, and the dress fitting went off pretty much without a hitch. Well, that excluded the couple times the seamstress accidentally poked me with needles whenever I jumped at someone's question. They were all awfully nosy about my relationship with Welkin, I noted warily.

When I got home that night, the house was still. Even Hans was fast asleep in his makeshift bed in the corner. I checked the house to make sure it was still in order. There were only a couple dishes that were out of place and several misplaced vegetable peelings. Welkin must've cooked for himself while I was out. I was about to whip something up to eat, but a note caught my attention. There was a quickly sketched butterfly on the corner of it.

"Check the counter to your right," I read aloud. I quirked an eyebrow at its odd request and shrugged. I followed its directions anyway and saw a wrapped plate of food.

"Oh, Welkin," I murmured and carefully placed the note in the cupboard for safekeeping. I took the food thankfully and savored the taste of it. This was Welkin's unique taste, after all.

I tidied up once I was finished and wordlessly went to join my fiancé in the bedroom. I almost thought he was already asleep, but when I slid under the covers next to him, his sturdy arms wrapped around me before my head could touch my pillow. I settled into his side and realized just how well our bodies fit together. It was like we were incomplete if we weren't together.

"I love you," I mumbled drowsily into his chest. When I first realized that it wasn't embarrassing to admit such a thing to him anymore, I was delighted, and right now wasn't any different. His arms tightened around me in response.

"I love you, too."

-----

I couldn't remember many times I had seen Welkin as happy as he was when he got home that day. If I remembered correctly, today was the day the results were posted... My eyes widened in realization. "You passed!"

Welkin's grin only grew at my exclamation. I rushed into his arms and stood there for a good minute. I was completely unsure about what to do next, and he seemed uncertain as well. We stood together like that for an immeasurable amount of time until he pulled away. Before I could protest, his lips were on mine and all complaints I had immediately died on my tongue.

"Alicia," Welkin started slowly and carefully brushed the hair out of my face. "Be sure to do your best."

I nodded and rested my forehead on his shoulder. "Why wouldn't I?" I asked teasingly.

Welkin laughed. "That's right. I forgot who I was talking to for a moment." I felt him pull the ribbon of my headscarf loose. "I know you'll do your best. That's one of Alicia Melchiott's defining features, after all."

I pulled away and jokingly made a face. "That'll be Alicia _Gunther_ in a couple days' time, I'll have you know!"

Welkin's face seemed to turn red at my words, and I felt heat bloom on my face as well. It was all true, though; we'd be joined in matrimony in a number of days that I could count on my fingers. I was snapped out of my trance by the sound of whistling and the sight of Welkin waltzing away with my headscarf. He shot me a playful smirk over his shoulder and bolted into our room.

"Welkin!" I ran after him and saw him sitting innocently on the bed. I tapped my foot impatiently and waited for him to give my accessory back. He shook his head and crossed his arms.

"You're going to have to get it yourself." I decided to play along and tackled him on the bed. In a matter of minutes, pushes and shoves somehow turned into kisses and feather light touches, and everything after that passed in a series of hot flashes.

It all moved so quickly, but it didn't look like Welkin and I were ready to slow down anytime soon anyway. Before either of us was aware of anything, we had already passed the point of no return. Articles of clothing flew off in various directions one by one, as we rolled and tumbled all over the bed. Welkin loomed over me with glazed eyes, and I was sure I couldn't keep my hands off his suddenly bare chest. He made a point to kiss every inch of my skin he could and was sure to pay attention to all of my sensitive spots, namely my ears and neck.

When my head rolled to the side in pleasure with yet another moan, I briefly registered that my beloved headscarf was dangling harmlessly on the door handle. I wanted to smile and laugh at Welkin's cleverness, but he distracted me and brought my attention back to him with a trail of kisses down my neck and my collarbone.

Soon, most of our barriers were shed and we presented each other with the most exotic sights we had ever seen. I don't think I had ever seen Welkin give the most interesting specimen in existence the look he gave me at that moment. I no longer cared that Welkin could see the entirety of my body and actually enjoyed every second of it.

In that instant, I decided that I would give him everything he ever wanted if I could, and the look in his eyes told me that the feeling was completely mutual. We exchanged desperate caresses and were steadily approaching the final wall that stood between us. With a set of swift motions on Welkin's part, we were rapidly plunged into a state of absolute bliss that neither of us had ever experienced before. Through all the intense sensations we shared with one another, I had never wanted anything to last forever as much as that one moment.

* * *

A/N: Ooh, it's _hot_ in here. Someone get a fan or something! Anyway, the aftermath of this and the wedding are going to be in the next chapter. I really didn't mean to take this long in getting the chapter out. I didn't have an actual computer of my own to use all through July, and the original chapter four got lost with a good amount of my data. Plus, I've become sidetracked by the VC anime. It made it hard for me to write my fluff with all of its _DORAMA!_ (Anyone else peeved at anime Faldio? He shot Alicia from behind in the chest with his _sidearm_. His sidearm! I mean what the hell?)

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read this story so far and even review it. Everyone has helped with their different suggestions and praise. I really feel like I've been able to grow as an author because of the people who were kind enough to point things out, ask questions, encourage me, and even just give me the satisfaction that there _are_ people reading my work. So once again, thank you!

By the way, do you guys think it's time to up the rating? (I'm going to raise it anyway, but I want to know if it's a premature decision or not…)


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